The Swimming Lessons
by BloodyBrit
Summary: This was originally an entry for a METMA challenge, but I have made it into a nice story. It is Ron, and his feelings for swimming lessons. R/H is, of course, a necessity. *NOW COMPLETE*
1. Biggie Fights

A/N-This was originally an entry for a contest, but I have made it my own. This is only the first chapter, more are soon to come. Read on, and have a nice day.  
  
  
  
  
  
The Swimming Lessons  
  
As I walked down to breakfast one morning in early June of my fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I noticed a sign near the humongous doorway of the Great Hall with several people clustered around it. I walked closer than what I was and peered over their heads to read it. As I did so, I thought to myself: Why is everyone so bloody short? The sign read:  
  
Attention, Fourth years and above:  
  
Swimming Classes are now mandatory for all students fourth year and older. They will start this Friday, June fifth. The list below is a schedule of times. Check it to see when and what day you should meet down by the lake.  
  
Gryffindor: 6th and 7th years-Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM  
  
4th and 5th years- Fridays, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM  
  
Slytherin: 6th and 7th years-Saturdays, 12:30 to 1: 30 PM  
  
4th and 5th years-Fridays, 2:00 to 3:00 PM  
  
Hufflepuff: 6th and 7th years-Mondays, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM  
  
4th and 5th years-Tuesdays, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM  
  
Ravenclaw: 6th and 7th years-Fridays, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM  
  
4th and 5th years-Tuesdays, 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM  
  
Please note: You must bring a towel and a muggle swimming suit. Your instructor is Professor Dumbledore.  
  
  
  
I thought: Bloody hell, we're not with Malfoy and his goons for once! I can't believe it!  
  
Just then, Harry came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to face him. "What is it, I can't see over you, mate," he said.  
  
"Swimming lessons," I mumbled unhappily.  
  
"Sounds like great fun. I s'pose we're with Slytherin, too, hmmm?"  
  
"Nope. We're with the fourth year Gryffin--hold up. Oh. No. We're with Ginny!"  
  
"Why does that make a difference?"  
  
"I'll give you three reasons, you pick your favorite. Number one: Colin Creevey. Need I say more? Number two: She'll be annoying you all the time because she's got that thing for you. And Number three: I don't bloody well want to make a prat of myself in front of my bloody sister!"  
  
"Don't swear, Ron," came a voice from behind me. I would have bet my life that it was Hermione. Had she heard what I had said? If she had, I needed to be prepared for her to bite off my head and chew it slowly savoring the taste then lick her fingers when she was done. "And what's this about Ginny?"  
  
Thank god, she hadn't heard me. "She's going to be--" I stopped suddenly as I turned to face Hermione. I had just realized something that I didn't want to realize. From that point on, all I could do was stare at Hermione disbelievingly.  
  
"What? Ron, why are you staring at me like that? Stop, it's making me feel odd," Hermione said after a bit of me staring.  
  
After a few moments, I stopped, but I couldn't get the thought out of my head. What in the world was I going to do? This was a real problem. You see, what had occured to me was that swimming, and swimming lessons, they involved wearing bathing suits. Which, for one, meant we had to change in a locker room together. But that wasn't really my point. What I had realized was this: Hermione was a girl. She was one of my best friends, but still, a girl. And she would be in a bathing suit. What was I going to do?  
  
"What was that all about?" Harry whispered to me as we were walking into the Great Hall a few minutes later. "You looked like you were going into a trance or something."  
  
Should I have told him? Probably not. But, being the idiotic prat that I was, I did. "Oh, well...I had just realized something. You know how we're having those lessons? Well, H--I mean, the girls are going to be in them too. In bathing suits. And they're going to see us in bathing suits too! This is going to create some major problems, I can just see it."  
  
"What do you mean, you can see it? I will be seeing it. Just try to restrain yourself from killing her, okay, Ron? I say, she's our best friend, and very useful with the whole homework thing, so you know, if she's dead, we might be expelled."  
  
"What are you on about?" I asked as I neared the Gryffindor table. Suddenly comprehension dawned on me as I looked to Hermione, and I stopped dead in my tracks.  
  
"Come on, Ron." Harry sat down on one side of Hermione.  
  
"You mean Hermione? Why would I kill her?"  
  
"Oh, never mind, you're not understanding my point. C'mon, sit down, let's eat."  
  
And so I sat down on the other side of Hermione and began talking with Fred and George, who were sitting across the table from us, as I ate.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey, Ron?" Harry asked me later back in our dormitory. "Do you have a bathing suit?"  
  
"Yeah, Mum got us them a few years ago when we went to the coast. I've brought mine with this year since I made prefect. I didn't want to be swimming around in that bath without anything on, y'know?" I responded, rummaging through my trunk to find it.  
  
"Oh. Wish I did," Harry replied, falling back on his bed and staring at his bedhangings.  
  
"You haven't got one?" I said, looking surprised. "I always thought that the Dursleys were pretty rich..don't they go on vacations and things? Y'know, to Majorca and Hawaii and Jamaica and such?"  
  
"Well, they go to those places, but I've never been. They always leave me at home with Mrs. Figg. And besides, even if they ever had taken me with, they wouldn't have let me go swimming, nor would they have bought me a suit," said Harry, frowning as he watched me pull out my suit.  
  
"Well, if it helps any, mine's not much..since we don't have a lot of money, Mum bought them secondhand," I said, frowning at the maroon trunks.  
  
"But you still have them. What am I going to do? The lessons start tomorrow, and I haven't any trunks," said Harry, trying to smile. "Maybe I could skinnydip..."  
  
I grinned. "Well, Ginny would appreciate it, but I dunno about the rest of us. Perhaps you could wear your boxers.."  
  
"Maybe I will," he said, now rummaging through his trunk for some, then finally finding a pair that were huge and orange.  
  
"Well, maybe not. I'll ask Gred and Forge if they have an extra pair. Be right back," I said, walking out of our dormitory and down to the common room, where I saw the twins in a corner. "Hey! Gred, Forge! C'mere." They looked up and I walked over. "Harry needs you. He doesn't have a pair of trunks for those swimming lesson things. Do either of you have an extra pair?"  
  
"No, sor--" Fred started to say, but then George elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Remember plan Percy?"  
  
"Oh! Right. Yeah, Ronnie, we actually do have a pair. Hope Harry doesn't mind if they're Percy's," Fred said, grinning. "I'll go get them. George, don't you let him see what we've been doing."  
  
I was curious, but I didn't even try to look, because George looked as much like a bulldog as I'd ever seen him. "How'd you get a pair of trunks off Percy?"  
  
"Stole them when he was going to go out swimming with Penelope early last summer. We thought we'd bring them so he couldn't find them and take them back."  
  
I didn't want to say anything, but this was sounding like it could go in a direction I didn't want it to go.  
  
"Yes, Prefect Percy...such a suck-up, he went and told Mum. But wait, Ronniekins...you're a prefect, aren't you? Yes, yes you are."  
  
I didn't want to nod, in fear that I would be teased for the rest of my life, just like Perce had been.  
  
"And you haven't mentioned anything yet. Imagine that," said George, smiling slowly.  
  
Fred suddenly came back and handed me Percy's trunks. When I examined them closer, I noticed they were patterned with small red and pink hearts. I nearly laughed out loud. "Poor Harry," I commented.  
  
"Isn't he though? Well, Percy will be glad to know that someone besides him and Penelope got some use out of them," Fred said, grinning.  
  
"Well, I'd better be getting these to Harry," I said, turning and walking away, holding the trunks far away from me. I was nearly to the boys staircase when I walked into Hermione. "Oh, sorry," I muttered, not looking up.  
  
"What are those?" she asked, trying not to giggle.  
  
"Oh, Hermione..they're Percy's swimming trunks," I muttered, still looking at the floor.  
  
"Don't tell me you have to.."  
  
"No. I've got my own. It's poor old Harry that has to wear these. I wish him the best of luck, personally," I grinned, finally looking up at her.  
  
"Yes..well, they're not so bad..they could be worse," she muttered, sizing them up.  
  
"I'm glad I've already got some, even if they are maroon.."  
  
"I have, too. Well, not trunks, but a suit, nonetheless."  
  
"I'm glad they're not trunks. We don't, any of us, want to see you in trunks," I said, grinning once more.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
My face burned cherry red. "Well..umm...what I meant was..Well, I'm sure we all wouldn't mind so much, but...y'know?"  
  
"Mmmhmmm. Save it," Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
I gulped. Why did I always have to be such a dumbass? "Look, Hermione..All I meant was..err...you know, maybe I'll go give these to Harry now."  
  
"You do that. Don't come back, I don't want to hear it."  
  
I flushed and turned to the stairs, running back into the boy's dorm. "Here, mate," I muttered, and threw myself on my bed after I threw the trunks in Harry's general direction.  
  
"Hey!" came a shout from over near the window. I sat up and looked. "Oh, Neville, sorry. Those are for Harry."  
  
Harry held out his hand and plucked the trunks off Neville's head. "Hearts? I didn't know the twins were so into Valentine's Day."  
  
"They're not. They nicked them off Perce. Evidently Penelope liked them," I said, getting a cocky grin.  
  
"Did she now?"  
  
"Guess so."  
  
"What are you two on about? Penelope Clearwater? Wasn't she the Head Girl a few years ago? Or is that my memory going off on me again..." Neville asked, looking confused.  
  
"Nope, Nev, you're right. She was Head Girl. And she is now my brother Percy's fiancee'."  
  
"Oh. That makes more sense, then..I think.."  
  
"Don't worry about it. The point is, Harry is going to have to wear these or else go bloody stark raving mad, and be naked. And personally, I would prefer these. Though perhaps Ginny mightn't..." I grinned once more, and ducked as a pillow flew at me. "What, she would. Dunno of anybody else except, oh, y'know...the entire female population of Hogwarts..."  
  
"Shuddup," Harry said. "Wait though, the entire female population? Even Hermione?"  
  
"Well..er..dunno about her...you'd have to ask her," I said, gulping. What if Hermione did want to see Harry in his nuddy-pants?  
  
"Not me, mate. You, now that's another story..."  
  
"Aw, shove off. Hermione are friends, nothing more, and nothing less."  
  
"Sure, mate. Tell you what, I bet even Neville knows. Hey, Nev?"  
  
"What, Harry?"  
  
"Do you think Hermione would mind seeing Ron in his nuddy-pants, or the other way around?" Harry was grinning but trying to suppress it, and in doing so was turning quite red.  
  
"Not in the least, everyone knows they're nutters for each other, although they themselves don't," Neville smirked at me.  
  
  
  
"Neville, are you sure you're all right? You seem odd.."  
  
"What? I'm fine.." Neville said, and started feeling his forehead.  
  
"Come to think of it, you haven't knocked over a single cauldron since last year," I said, rubbing my chin thoughtfully.  
  
"Well..I..maybe I've outgrown my clumsiness!" Neville said hopefully.  
  
"Just as long as you're you and not one of You Know Who's supporters, I'm happy," I said, smiling, but I could tell the smile didn't reach my eyes, because Neville just looked away. "Well..I think I'll go and..go and take a bath," I said, standing.  
  
"Catch you later, Ron," Harry said, laying back on his bed.  
  
"See you, Ron," Neville said quietly.  
  
I walked down into the common room and noted that Hermione had gone. Then I went down to the prefect's bathroom and said the password, which was Kinnikinnick. I then walked quietly in, and saw that no one was in the pool. I quickly stripped and dived in. The water was just perfect, as usual, and there were a few stray bubbles floating about. I turned on my favorite pipe, the one with the huge foamballs that could support you, and then turned it off when there were enough for me to lay on. This I did, lazing out, though I wasn't really that tired.  
  
Suddenly, I felt something bump underneath me. It did it again, and then a head popped up through the foam near my head. I quickly put a towel over me so that no one could see anything.  
  
"Who is that?" came a voice.  
  
"Ron Weasley!" I called.  
  
"Oh, no," said the voice.  
  
"Who is that?" I said aloud.  
  
"Oh..er..just.."  
  
"Wait, is that you, Hermione?" I looked over at the face, and sure enough, it was. "Mione, what are you..."  
  
"Taking a bath, what are you..?"  
  
"The same thing," I answered sullenly, trying not to look at her face, or anywhere else for that matter. I could feel my face starting to burn.  
  
"Well, would you mind getting me out? I'm stuck," Hermione said, suddenly sounding like her normal bossy self.  
  
"And how do you want me to do that?" I asked quickly.  
  
"I don't know...find a way," she answered.  
  
"Can't you just pull yourself out?" I asked exasperatedly.  
  
"No, I already said I'm stuck, won't you please just help me for once instead of making rude jokes?"  
  
"I resent that," I said, trying to sound huffy. "Maybe I won't help you after all. You'll be stuck in there for all eternity."  
  
"How rude," Hermione said. "I need to get out. Besides, Ron, you have noticed.." she coughed, "that we're both...well.." she was bright red. She cleared her throat suggestively, and then trailed off with "not really..umm...wearing...clothing?"  
  
"No, I hadn't," I said, laughing, but then rueing it a moment later because I turned crimson, and recieved a death glare from Hermione.  
  
"Don't you ever stop?" she asked, still glaring.  
  
"Oh, fine, I'll shut up."  
  
"For the first time in your life."  
  
"I resent that too. I might not ever get you out of there if you're that mean to me," I said, pretending to be wounded.  
  
"Just making up for all that you do to torture me," she chirped cheerily.  
  
"I do not torture you."  
  
"You do too. Every other moment, it's 'Oh, Hermione, shut up,' or 'Hermione, you are too much of a bookworm,' or 'Hermione, the know-it- all.'"  
  
"How come you've never said anything before?" I could tell that wasn't what she had been expecting. She looked genuinely surprised.  
  
"I just didn't..I mean...I didn't think you would care that you were hurting me," she said softly, staring at me.  
  
"Of course I care, Hermione, if you think I don't..well, that's just dragonshit. Why else would I be your best friend?"  
  
"Watch your mouth," she whispered. "I don't know why you're my best friend, but I don't deserve it."  
  
"Of course you do. Are you daft? You're Hermione Granger, the cleverest witch in her year. You're so smart, I'll never measure up. The better question is: Why am I your best friend?"  
  
"What a question. You're so brave, you'd sacrifice yourself without batting an eye. And you're smart too. You just don't think you are. You're so friendly, you're kind, you're compassionate, you're handsome, you're everything!!"  
  
"Hold up. Did you just say what I thought you just said?" I asked uncertainly.  
  
"Of course I did. And I meant it, too."  
  
"Hermione...if you're going to..." I sighed. "Look, we've been dancing around each other for a year now, right?"  
  
She looked away.  
  
"It's true and you know it. Ever since you started huffing about with Vicky."  
  
"Don't call him Vicky."  
  
"What is your problem, anyway? Do you care more for-for him than you do your own best friends?"  
  
"How can you say that? I just called you handsome, and kind and caring, and this is what you repay me with?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I-I guess I forgot," I mumbled, not looking at her face.  
  
"Look, just get me out of here, ok?" She tried to squiggle herself out, but it didn't work.  
  
"Here," I said. "Hold your breath, I'm gonna push you under."  
  
I heard her breathe in sharply, so I put both hands on her very soft hair and pushed as hard as I could.  
  
Her head popped out of the water near my feet. "Oh, Ron..thank god. I didn't like being in those bubbles.." Suddenly she seemed to remember that we had been fighting not a moment ago. "Well, I'm going to go back to Gryffindor...catch you later, I guess.." Then she grabbed her wand from the side of the bath and called out, "Accio Bathing Suit!" Her bathing suit flew to her and she pulled it on underneath the water. When she finally stood up again, she swam over to the edge of the bath and pulled herself up and out. Then she grabbed her towel and walked out of the room.  
  
I shook my head, realizing I had been staring. Had she noticed? Probably not. I would worry more about it after my bath...  
  
  
  
A/N-It wasn't that bad, was it? Really tell the truth. I appreciate feedback, so...er...bring it on. ;-) 


	2. Spying and Such

Chapter 2-The Lessons Begin  
  
I had gotten out of the bath not long after that. The whole pleasant and relaxing atmosphere had been ruined by Hermione's small 'intrusion'. The problem was that I got so nervous and excited around her, but I didn't know why. I mean, she was just my friend, right? Why should that make me nervous? It was all jacked up. As a matter of fact, life is jacked up, and my philosophy is that we just have to deal. But anyway, back to what I was saying.  
  
I went back to the Common Room just in time to meet up with Harry and Hermione for dinner. I could tell Hermione was embarassed and mad at me, because she acted as though I wasn't there. I really did want to talk to her and make up, but not while everyone was around, and not if she was going to bite my head off for it.  
  
But other than that, everything was normal as we walked down to the Great Hall-Harry said something about Quidditch, and soon we had a discussion going; Fred and George had put a bomb in Snape's food; we heard them whispering about it in the hall, and it seemed that Dean and Parvati were having another of their famous breakups, because Parvati was looking tearstained.  
  
When we arrived in the Great Hall, though, I was jolted back to the reality that Hermione was mad at me-again. She went over and sat with Ginny and her friends and left Harry and I stranded.  
  
Nevertheless, I ate with my usual vigor and had nearly finished my treacle tart when I felt a tap on my back. I turned to face my little sister, Ginny. "Whaddya want?" I said somewhat messily because I was still in the middle of chewing. I swallowed quickly and repeated my question. "What do you want, Gin?"  
  
"Oh, not much, I just want to know what you've done to Hermione now. She's quite upset and she won't tell me what happened, but she's really mad."  
  
I glanced over at Hermione, but the moment she saw me looking, she turned away and stuck her nose in the air, though I could see her neck and face beginning to turn red.  
  
"So what was it, then? Was it about Krum again? Did you start screaming again? What? Tell me!"  
  
"It's none of your business, Gin. Besides, it was nothing," I felt my face and ears starting to get hot.  
  
"It must have been something, because you're turning red!"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Well, I know that he went to take a bath," Harry muttered.  
  
"Harry! You're supposed to be on my side," I cried.  
  
"Sorry, mate, but that's too bad," Harry shook his head sarcastically.  
  
"So....what else, Harry?" Gin asked excitedly.  
  
"Well...awhile after Ron left, Hermione came into the Common Room looking mad and told me she'd just been to have a bath."  
  
"Really?" Ginny asked, beginning to pace like a lawyer about to win an important case. "So they were both taking baths. And they're both Prefects, so I assume they would be using that bathroom. They must have met up somewhere and somehow. But then what happened, I wonder?" she stopped dead in front of me and placed her hands on her hips, her feet widespread. "Is there anything you'd like to tell us, Ron?"  
  
"Nothing in particular," I answered, smirking, although I was still a reddish tint.  
  
"Fine then," she said, pulling my arm and making me stand up, then stalking over to Hermione and doing the same to her. "Come," she said, pulling us behind her and up into the Gryffindor Common Room and then pushing us onto a two-person couch together. "Talk."  
  
Hermione turned away from me again, her nose in the air, and I just sighed, leaning back on the couch, and stared off into space.  
  
"Harry, it's not working. They won't talk," Ginny whined.  
  
"Get Gred and Forge. They'll force them to talk," Harry grinned evilly at me.  
  
I glanced at Hermione once more. She was looking towards me. We both looked away as soon as our eyes caught, but we had come to a silent agreement: talk.  
  
"Well.." Hermione's voice started to say. "We met up in the Prefect's bathroom."  
  
"And she got herself caught in my bubbles," I said, smirking at her.  
  
"And then the little twit wouldn't get me out, even though I was stuck," Hermione added on with a little smile of her own.  
  
"So then she started calling me names," I said menacingly.  
  
"And he still refused to get me out," Hermione frowned.  
  
"So we had a small row," I concluded, winking at her.  
  
"And that's it?" Ginny asked, looking disappointed.  
  
"That's it," Hermione said loudly. "And if no one minds, I am going to do some of my homework. Excuse me." she stood and walked over to her bookbag, which she pulled open and grabbed a piece of parchment from. Then she started writing something on it that I couldn't read.  
  
"Want a game of chess, Harry?" I asked quickly, looking away from Hermione.  
  
"Not really," he replied. "I think I'll tuck in early tonight. Bit tired."  
  
"Oh, all right. Gin, do you want a game?"  
  
"No, I think I'm going to rest up too. Swimming lessons start tomorrow, don't forget."  
  
"I guess you're right. Well then, Harry, I'll be up in a bit. 'Night," I said, frowning and turning away. This left me with one person to talk to: Hermione. So I walked over to her little homework nook after Harry and Ginny had went up to bed. "What are you working on?" I asked, sitting across from her.  
  
"Charms essay," she answered, turning away from me. "And I'm still mad at you."  
  
"What did I do to you?"  
  
"Only humiliated me in the middle of my bath and refused to help me when I was stuck!" she blew her hair out of her eyes and looked up at me through her bangs, which made it seem that her efforts had been wasted, since they were still in her eyes.  
  
"Gee, Hermione, it's not like it was my fault you got stuck in my bubbles. Besides, it's my nature to be sarcastic. You should know that by now, I mean, really," I said softly back to her.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind for next time, thanks," she sneered back to me. I raised my eyebrows, surprised. Hermione never sneered.  
  
"Yes, do. It would make my life a lot easier if you would stop getting mad at me all the time," I said, smiling.  
  
"All right, I'm sorry. I really don't mean to get mad, it's just.." she sighed. "You are maddening, you really are."  
  
"I-I am?" I wondered, my voice cracking in the middle of 'am.' Damn voice change.  
  
"Yes, you are. With your sarcasm, and..and...oh, your you-ness!!"  
  
"My me-ness," I said, rolling my eyes and sighing. "Oh, that's the clearest explaination I've heard in a long time."  
  
"I've always prided myself on my ability to explain," she expressed, winking at me.  
  
"I sure haven't. That would be just one thing that I am terrible at," I said, standing and giving her my best smile. "Well, it's late, and.." I checked my watch, which read 9:47, and stretched. "I might just be going on to bed. We start our new lessons tomorrow, don't forget. I don't want to be falling asleep in a pool, especially with Dumbledore as our teacher. He's so funny, I don't want him to be replaced with Snape or something just because I was tired, right?"  
  
"I suppose. I'll be going up in a bit, once I finish my essay here," she said, yawning.  
  
"Don't stay up too late," I warned, shaking my head at what I had just said. I was turning into my mother, honestly. Or maybe Hermione, judging from how I had just thought the word 'honestly.' "G'night!" I walked towards and up our staircase.  
  
"Good night!" she called after me.  
  
After I went up the staircase, I opened the door to our room and found everyone asleep. As quietly as I could, I got myself ready for bed and slipped under the covers, drifting away nearly as soon as my head hit the pillow.  
  
I awoke the next morning to very loud shouting. I blinked several times and sat up sleepily, running a hand through my disheveled hair. This was odd, usually it was other people that woke up to Hermione and I shouting. I wondered who it could be that was shouting as loudly as we did. I was so curious that I didn't even bother to groan about getting up. I opened up the boy's door, and saw before me..Harry and Hermione? This was definitely odd.  
  
But just as I was about to start down the stairs, I heard my name crop up. This could be interesting. I would stay right where I was. I hid behind the banister, and collapsed onto my arse.  
  
It had to be Hermione who shouted, "Well, it's not like I see you going up to..to Cho Chang and saying, 'Oh, my dearest Cho, I'm madly in love with you, I have been since we first met,' do I now?"  
  
"You're madly in love with him and have been since you first met?"  
  
"Ugh, yes, I am, and yes, I have, are you satisfied?"  
  
"Quite," Harry said. I could just see it in my mind's eye, those two standing down there, screaming their heads off at each other. It was a funny image. I got the giggles, and couldn't stop laughing for a bit. When I turned back to the fight, it was Harry talking again.  
  
"So why don't you tell him all this rather than me?"  
  
"Well, for one thing, he's...he's..asleep!!" Hermione said, looking huffy.  
  
"No, he's not. He's sitting by that banister there, listening to our conversation," Harry said, beginning to laugh.  
  
"You-how long has he been there?"  
  
"Quite a while now," Harry said, laughing harder now.  
  
"You dolt, this isn't FUNNY!" she popped him one on the back of the head.  
  
"Ow!!" Harry cried, rubbing his head.  
  
"Ronald Weasley, you-you rat, get down here NOW!!"  
  
I stood, wincing at the look I could see on Hermione's face. I walked down the stairs slowly, savoring my last moments of life. "Good morning?" I said in an unnaturally high voice.  
  
"Not for you," Hermione said, glaring up at me. "What in the world possessed you to sit up there listening to our private conversation?"  
  
"Well, I was about to come down, but then my name cropped up. I thought it would probably be interesting, I mean, you two never fight. Never!"  
  
"We weren't fighting. We were discussing an important issue," Hermione narrowed her eyes further still at me.  
  
"Mmmm...and why was I left out of this discussion over an important issue--that concerns your love life, I believe, Hermione?" I folded my arms across my chest for a moment, but let them drop a few seconds later.  
  
"You heard what we were talking about?"  
  
"I heard that you're madly in love with some boy and have been since you first met him, does that count?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders slightly. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Harry inching towards the boy's staircase. When he made it, he bolted for the room, not looking back.  
  
"Anything else?" Hermione asked, standing with her hands on her hips, still glaring that evil glare at me, daring me to go on.  
  
"Well, besides my name, which, by the way...If you had to say my name, then this discussion concerns me, because it mentions me. And another thing. If you can confide in Harry about your love life, why not me? Aren't we best friends too, just like you and Harry are?"  
  
Hermione blushed deeply. She seemed to be speechless.  
  
"For the first time in your life, you don't have anything to say? Nothing at all?" I asked, leaning towards her slightly.  
  
"No, Ron. I don't have anything to say," And with that, she turned on her heel and fled up to her room, her hands covering her face.  
  
It looked as though I had made her cry once again. That was one of the few things I was good at--making Hermione cry. Not that I meant to do it, I guess I just went a bit too far with my bantering, and she couldn't take it. Or at least, that's what I hoped was wrong. If it was something serious...I hoped I hadn't offended her in any way.  
  
Since I was left alone in the common room, I went back up to our dorms, where everyone was getting ready for the day. I showered, (yes, contrary to popular belief, they do have showers at Hogwarts) brushed my teeth, ran a comb through my hair, and pulled out the razor that Dad had gotten me back in the summer. I had used it before, but only once. Nevertheless, I pulled out my shaving cream and began shaving. I got more than one cut, but I was happy that I had succeeded without putting a hole in my face.  
  
After I was finally ready, I went back down to the common room, looking around for Harry so that we could go to breakfast together. He was nowhere in sight, so I began the walk alone.  
  
About halfway through, I heard someone behind me, so I turned. There I saw Hermione, looking much the way she had way back in first year when I had insulted her and she had gone crying in the girls bathrooms. She brushed past me without saying a word.  
  
I used my long legs to catch up with her. "Come on, Hermione, don't be that way!" I said in her ear. "I don't want to have to go chasing you from any more trolls-or the giant squid when we go swimming this afternoon."  
  
I winked, and I thought I saw her crack a smile. But only a little one. So I tried again. "And I don't want to have to go with Harry to the Chamber of Secrets again, either, just because you got yourself Petrified. So you've got to stop, or else you'll get injured again and Harry and I will have to be your knights in shining armour and save you. D'you know how tiring that gets, year in and year out? C'mon, Hermione, shape up..for me and Harry...or if not for me, since you don't seem to be heeding my pleas, then Harry. Think of the poor old Harr-ster!"  
  
"The poor old Harr-ster?" she asked, finally facing me and looking skeptical.  
  
"You don't find that extremely amusing? I do," I said, grinning widely at her. "Would you have preferred the Harrymeister?"  
  
"Yes, I would have. The Harrymeister," she tried it out, shaking her head. "It sounds so funny!"  
  
"Ah, but that's what friends are for, right? To make up stupid nicknames for each other?" I winked.  
  
"I suppose," she said, sighing and turning back towards the grand staircase that we were about to walk down. "So are we friends again, then?"  
  
"If you're not still mad at me, then yes, we are," I said, nodding in a soldier-like fashion to her.  
  
She nodded back at me, and then began examining my face. "Ron, did you...cut yourself this morning, by any chance?"  
  
"Oh..those..yeah, I guess you could say that," I said, my head down, and my ears turning a revolting shade of pink.  
  
And with that, we went into the Great Hall for breakfast.  
  
The morning classes were what was to be expected: note-taking Hermione scribbling away, Harry and I either sleeping or half-heartedly taking notes. It was pretty easy, since all we had were Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.  
  
Then was lunch, in which Harry and I wolfed down our food and then waited about twenty minutes for Hermione to finish.  
  
We had about an hour's break after that. Hermione finished her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework while Harry and I had a quick game of chess. Then we all went to get our swimming suits and begin the long trudge out to the lake.  
  
It took nearly 10 minutes, but we finally got there. It was hot, muggy, and we were all sweating like elephants. Everyone was glad to go to the locker rooms and change out of our heavy robes and into small swimming suits.  
  
The only tiny problem in the locker rooms was Seamus and Dean throwing Colin Creevey's robes on top of the lockers, where he couldn't get them, and no one else but Dean and I could, either.  
  
I decided to just give the poor boy his robes, even though I did enjoy a good joke or two. For one thing, I didn't want to get into trouble with Dumbledore, and for another, I had had this trick pulled on me countless times by Fred and George when I was still smaller than them. It is never fun to have your underwear stuck in a tree for the whole village to see.  
  
So when I finally got out on the edge of the lake, I was nearly late. Dumbledore had begun to line us up, boy-girl, boy-girl. I looked around for Harry, but he was way on the other side of the lake. Hermione was hidden behind someone a little ways away from me, but I could see her trademark bushy hair. My sister was standing right next to me. And of course, just my luck, I got placed next to her.  
  
Just as Dumbledore was beginning to explain the lake rules, there was a splash as someone fell in. It was Neville. He was splashing about, looking like he was going to drown, until someone shouted, "Neville, stand up!!"  
  
When he did, he found that he was still three feet above the surface of the pool.  
  
"Are you all right, Mr. Longbottom?" Dumbledore called from the edge of the lake. I just then got a good glimpse of Dumbledore, and found that he was wearing one of those old men's swimming suits that has straps that go up and over your shoulders, kind of like a women's suit. But Dumbledore's was red and orange striped, so it looked especially bright.  
  
As I was looking at Dumbledore, I looked a short bit past him and caught a glimpse of a goddess-Hermione.  
  
  
  
A/N-This chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, but it took half as long to write. Yes, I know I am a slow writer. Don't murder me, please. I have very little time for writing left over after my day is done, so it becomes quite difficult to write long chapters in two days. Again-I am review deprived, and tell the truth. I don't care if you say that it sucks. Just say it constructively, all right? Then we will all be happy and we can play and eat ice cream together. ;-) 


	3. Ron's Realization

Chapter 3-Ron's Realization  
  
I stared at her for a moment longer, taking in her fluffy brown hair, her gorgeous brown eyes and the way her body curved just right. Our robes sure did hide a lot. I mean, I did know what she looked like, somewhat, underneath them, because I had seen her in the summers and stuff, but..wow. She looked really good in her swimming suit.  
  
I tore my eyes off of her before she caught me looking. "Hey..Ro-on..." came a voice from beside me. I turned and looked at my little sister. "Staring at Hermione, are we?" she asked, grinning sneakily.  
  
"O-Of course I wasn't. What are you on about?"  
  
"Oh, nothing..just you've been staring over there for the last five minutes," she said, smirking at me.  
  
"Oh, like you haven't been staring at Harry," I shot back at her.  
  
"No, you must have been more out of it than I thought. The only thing I noticed were his lovely heart-patterned trunks. Did he get those from Fred and George?Well, anyway, Harry is underwater just now, can't you see? Everyone but us has already jumped in!" and with that she dived into the water.  
  
"Oh," I said a bit sheepishly, and dived in too.  
  
"Now," said Dumbledore. "Stick your head below the water and blow bubbles."  
  
I did as he said, sticking my head underwater, but once I got there, I saw Harry, clad in the valentine-y trunks, waving me over. So I swam over to him, and he went above water.  
  
As soon as I did, too, he was all over me. "Ron, did you think you were being slick there?"  
  
"Slick?" I asked, bewildered.  
  
"Yeah, slick. Smooth?" Harry said, trying his best to clue me in.  
  
"Er..okay..no?" I said, quite confused.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just stuff that Dudley was saying last year. It must have been ingrained in my brain," Harry apologized. "So you weren't, though?"  
  
"I don't think so. What are you talking about, though?" I asked, still not completely clued in.  
  
"You were staring like-like you'd seen a ghost!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"I see ghosts all the time, it's not that big of a deal..." I was confused again.  
  
"Sorry, it's another muggle expression, I guess. Well, you were staring pretty hard, though, anyway," Harry said, smirking at me.  
  
"Oh..you mean with Hermione, don't you?" I was guilty.  
  
"Yes, you thick-headed dolt. Who else have you been staring at? My goodness," said Harry, winking heartily at me.  
  
"Harry, give it a rest, will you? I'm sick of worrying about Hermione all the time-whether she's happy or she's mad at me, whether she's crying or off studying, whether she's wearing a beautiful bathing suit or whether she's wearing sweatpants and a teeshirt. I love her just the same, why should it matter?" I had really had it. I didn't want to be waltzing around each other all the time. "I think we should either get together or just not be friends. I can't stand it just sitting here like a duck, waiting for something to happen." I splashed my fisted hands into the water.  
  
Dumbledore glanced over at me before continuing to talk. "When you put your face into the water, never breathe in, or else you will find your nasal passages filled with liquid. It is also helpful to blow out, thus breathing while not truly breathing."  
  
I wondered if he could tell I wasn't paying attention. Just as I started to listen again, Harry responded to my outburst.  
  
"I think you should tell her all that and not me, mate. Just..er...go ahead and tell her you rate her, why don't you? It's true, isn't it?"  
  
"I-I didn't say that. I said..I said..er..," I was really feeling shirty there. What had I just blurted out?  
  
"How can you say that? You just told me that you loved her..." Harry was really trying to kill me.  
  
"All right, I guess I did. Does that mean I have to tell her?" I didn't really know what I wanted.  
  
"You just said that you were tired of dancing around each other, so why don't you do something about it? Tell her what you told me in the beginning there. And don't get flustered. You never sound good when you're flustered," Harry whispered, glancing at Dumbledore to make sure he wasn't watching us. "It's just some friendly advice, mind. I don't really know what I'm doing."  
  
"Right. Well, I'll do it later, maybe towards the end of class. But don't you think we ought to pay a bit of attention to Dumbledore? I mean, he's a nice guy, and we do need to know this for OWLs," I whispered, turning and listening to Dumbledore.  
  
"She's rubbed off on you more than you'll ever know, Ron. You just told me to pay attention to a teacher because of OWLs!" Harry laughed.  
  
"Bug off, mate. Shut your gob," I said, turning back to Dumbledore. He was now explaining something that I didn't understand at all.  
  
"So if you will all kindly come to the edge here, I will teach you how to kick, just in case you did not understand what I just said," called Dumbledore, lapping over to the edge and demonstrating how to hold on.  
  
When he asked for us all to follow him, I did, and made it so I was just next to Hermione. I got into the position he had told us to and waited for him to come and check me.  
  
"Hey there, Hermione," I said softly so that no one would hear.  
  
"Hello," she whispered back.  
  
"Well..er..I guess this is one class where you can't take notes, hmm?" I said a bit flusteredly.  
  
"I suppose so. Not that that's a bad thing, of course. It gives much more time for actually doing the work, and plus, there's less writer's cramps. I hate writer's cramp," she muttered, more to herself than to me.  
  
"I've personally never had it, so I can't really sympathize," I said, shaking my head.  
  
"Not that you do that much work to begin with, eh? Usually you just copy off of mine," Hermione muttered darkly.  
  
"Not this again. Hermione, can't we ever discuss anything without fighting? I haven't got the time to be worrying whether you're mad or happy with me, or crying or just stressed out because of OWLs. I am sick of sitting on my arse waiting!"  
  
"Oh, yes, you're the one who has been waiting. Ronald Weasley, I've been waiting nearly three years for you to come to your senses and grow up. And you say you've been waiting. Ha!" she rolled her eyes at me and grinned, shaking her head.  
  
"You've been waiting..How long?" I asked in complete bewilderment.  
  
"Like I said, about three years for you to grow up. Although I've been waiting far longer than that for you to realize that you--" she stopped dead. "Never mind."  
  
"What? What were you about to say? Tell a bloke what you've been waiting for him to do for however long!" I raised my eyebrows. Just then, one of my hands slipped and my face went flying into the water. I came up spitting and blinking it out of my eyes.  
  
Hermione laughed heartily before continuing on. "Ah, never mind, like I said. It's probably never going to happen, so what am I wasting my time for? It's not like..like..like you'll ever..umm...er...oh, never mind it all!" she cried, sufficiently flustered.  
  
"But, Hermione, I want to know! Can't you just tell me and be done with it?" I asked, becoming impatient.  
  
Dumbledore came just at that instant and surveyed Hermione. "Very good, Miss Granger. You will be quite the good swimmer, eh?"  
  
Hermione nodded proudly. "My parents sent me for lessons when I was younger, but I felt it would be good to brush up."  
  
"Ah, very good. Well, you may go and wait with the others who are finished," Dumbledore said, nodding over to a waiting crowd near the edge of the water.  
  
Hermione turned and swum off, soon becoming immersed in the crowd.  
  
"Well well, Mr. Weasley. I can see you are quite infatuated with young Miss Granger. You have done nothing but talk about her all lesson," Dumbledore said, looking down at me.  
  
I blushed and looked away, then looked into his eyes. To my surprise, he didn't look stern or even mad. He was smiling, and that familiar twinkle was going in his eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry, Professor. It won't happen again," I muttered.  
  
"On the contrary, Mr. Weasley, I think it is quite the healthy thing to be in love. You may think what you like, but do trust me on one thing: a girl like Miss Granger is hard to come by, and may only cross in your path once in a lifetime. Do try to keep that in mind, when you feel the rise of your temperature next time, eh?"  
  
"Yes sir, but..did you say..in love?" I asked, completely embarassed now.  
  
"Excuse me. I meant..ahem..friends with," Dumbledore said with a wink. "By the way, Mr. Weasley, you have good form."  
  
"Thank you, Professor," I said quite politely. Then I went over into the crowd of people. I bumped into Harry and he started talking to me.  
  
"Did you tell her yet?" he asked, splashing a bit of water on me.  
  
"No, but she was going on about some rubbish about me growing up, but I truly have no idea what the mad woman was talking about," I confessed.  
  
"You growing up? So she must have..and then..yes, that's the only way that makes sense.." Harry mused to himself.  
  
"Er..Harry?" I asked hesitantly, not wanting to ruin whatever it was he was talking to himself about. "I don't know what it is you're mumbling about, but can't you clarify what the bloody hell she said to me?"  
  
"Ron, mate," said Harry. "Go ask her yourself. I don't want to be dragged into this."  
  
"Fine, I will," I said, and pushed through the crowd to where Hermione was doggie-paddling, trying to stay afloat.  
  
"What are you doing, Hermione?" I asked, laughing at her small predicament.  
  
"I can't touch the bottom, but everyone else is standing where it's shallow enough for me to touch, so I'm paddling right here until Dumbledore says it's time to go," she said breathlessly. She sounded like it might be wearing her out.  
  
In a brief flash of nobility and gentlemanliness, I spoke up. "Here, lean on me. That way you won't be so tired from trying to keep yourself from drowning."  
  
She smiled in that cute way, like she knew something I didn't. I seemed to see it on her face almost all the time. "Thank you, Ron. You're lucky to be so tall."  
  
She took the arm that I held out to her. I could feel my face starting to burn in that familiar crimson.  
  
But just then, I heard a shout from in front of the lockers. "Aww..look. The weasel finally found himself a girlfriend-in the mudblood! How utterly sickening."  
  
I immediately recognized the voice as Malfoy's, and before Hermione could warn me to ignore him, I shouted back. "Malfoy, you snake! She may be muggle-born, but she's got more wits than you'll ever have! Besides, at least I have a girlfriend, unlike you!"  
  
I could see that Hermione looked bewildered, but also surprised and happy. "So, what, now we're going out?" she hissed. "Why wasn't I informed?"  
  
"I just complimented you, and you come back at me with that?" I hissed back.  
  
"Don't argue just now, Ron, I want to know why you said what you just said," she hissed, even more urgently than the first time.  
  
"Can't this wait until later?" I said painedly.  
  
"No. I want to know now," she sounded slightly peeved this time.  
  
"All right, just a minute, don't have kittens!" I whispered, straining to hear anything from over near the lockers. The conversation with Hermione had made me miss Malfoy's comeback.  
  
It must have been bad, though, because the next thing I knew, Dumbledore was yelling for everyone to go ahead and change so that he could speak to 'Mr. Malfoy' privately.  
  
I guided Hermione back to shore, ignoring her pleas for me to explain my insult to Malfoy.  
  
As soon as we were out of the water, I rushed into the lockers and closed the door. Phew. She was out of my hair-for a little bit, anyway. I tried to take as long as I could changing, but all too soon, I was ready to face the whole of Hogwarts again. Damn.  
  
But I was never one to be a scaredy-cat, so I put on my best face and walked out of the lockers confidently. I kept this up until I saw Hermione. Then I ran and hid behind Harry.  
  
"What are you bloody doing, Ron? Are you scared of Hermione?" Harry asked, a smile playing about his lips.  
  
"Do me a favor, and shuddup," I whispered, ducking down.  
  
"Well, what did you do this time?" he pondered.  
  
"I accidentally told her, when I was yelling at Malfoy. She wanted to know what the bloody hell I was on about. I can't explain this to her! Hide me," I confessed, trying to keep hidden from view.  
  
"Ron. Stop it. Go over there and explain to her. Look, I've talked to her, all right? She feels the same way. Don't worry. Go, before I have to hurt you," Harry confided in me.  
  
I commented, "Like you could," before casually walking to where Hermione was waiting for the bell.  
  
"Look who it is. Will you tell me now?" she asked urgently.  
  
"I..er..um.." was all that came out of my mouth. Damnit. I regained my voice and squeaked, "Look, Hermione, not here. I'll tell you when we're..alone."  
  
"I hope so, Ron. I'm getting sick of waiting," she said in a tired voice.  
  
"I give you my word, I'll tell you tonight. The common room, when everyone else is in bed. Are you satisfied?" I was grumpy. I wondered if she could tell. Probably. Hermione had a knack for that sort of thing.  
  
Just as I was thinking about walking away, the bell rang, and Harry wandered over to us so that we could begin the long trek back up to the castle. As we were leaving, I heard Malfoy yell, "Hey, Weasel! I know you were lying back there! You can't even get a mudblood to be your girlfriend!"  
  
I had nearly turned around to wring his neck when two pairs of hands grabbed my robes and forced me onwards. "What a little ferret..calling you a mudblood.." I murmered angrily.  
  
"Don't worry so much, Ron. He's done it a million times before. Besides, I've given him his penance. Remember third year?" A smile played about her lips as she looked up at me.  
  
"Oh, yeah...that was hilarious. Good times, Hermione, good times," I laughed in rememberance.  
  
With that we again started trudging towards the castle. In the end, we had to run in order to make it to Transfiguration on time. Next week was the beginning of OWLs, and Hermione didn't want to be late. Besides, McGonagall hadn't eased up on giving detentions and taking away house points.  
  
We slid into our seats just as the bell rang. McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "In the nick of time, I do believe you all made it."  
  
Nearly everyone had been almost late. No one had anticipated that the walk from the lake to the castle would take that long. Everyone grinned in relief. Today it was only Gryffindors in the Transfiguration class, and no one wanted to lose any house points so late in the year.  
  
"We will be doing a review for the OWLs today, as they begin next week," McGonagall continued. Everyone groaned until she said, "I shall pair you up so that you can quiz each other."  
  
Then everyone grinned in relief. That is, until she paired us. "Finnegan with Brown, Potter with Thomas, Patil with Longbottom, and Granger with Weasley."  
  
I smiled weakly at Hermione, begging to her with my eyes not to bother me about what I had said. I truly hoped she understood me.  
  
When she didn't, I was ever so glad. I really couldn't handle it just then. Too much had happened in the past hour or so for me to be able to take any more without a rest.  
  
The rest of Transfiguration went okay, except for the fact that I knew about 1% of the answers. But then, that wasn't abnormal. Not abnormal at all.  
  
After Transfiguration, we had a break, and then was dinner. I ate kind of slowly, much more so than usual. I was trying to figure out what I was going to tell Hermione. Perhaps the truth would be good, but..I just knew she didn't feel the same way, and then we'd be uncomfortable around each other for at least a few months. That wouldn't do. But what sort of lie to tell...  
  
  
  
A/N-Another chapter over and done with...ah, aren't you all so pleased? I got this in by my own personal deadline. I'm so proud. :) I'm again sorry this is perhaps short.  
  
As always, tell the truth in your review(s), I will examine your opinion, I promise.  
  
Also, as I usually forget to disclaim but don't want to be sued, this isn't mine. Really, nothing but the plot, and as I've said before, that should really almost be credited to METMA Mandy, because she was the one that came up with the challenge that inspired this. Many thanks to her. ;-)  
  
Also, one more thing. The next chapter may take a week or two. I'm not going to be home this weekend, so I mayn't have as much time to work on it. I'm pretty sure either that one or the next will be the last, but I haven't exactly planned it out yet.  
  
Cheers!  
  
-Lissy 


	4. The Lie

A/N-I'm sorry everyone, in this chapter I rather make Ron sound scared of Malfoy..but I promise I'll make it up to you..it will work out in the end, just hold in there...Also, this may sound like some trashy romance novel, but really it's just me trying to imitate JKR's lovely style of writing.  
  
Chapter 4-The Lie  
  
As I sat eating my treacle pudding, a plan formed in my mind. I would just tell her that I had been trying to impress Malfoy. That was simple enough. Then I would apologize and nothing would happen. Or so I thought.  
  
When we got to the common room that evening after dinner, Hermione pulled me aside straightaway, telling Harry that she needed to discuss something with me. We went into a little-used corner, and she began the so- called discussion with this word-"Well?"  
  
And here's what came out of my mouth. "Look, Hermione. I don't really know, all right? Maybe I went nutters for a moment. I'm not really sure. I was trying to make Draco jealous, probably. Whatever it was, it just slipped out." I said all this very quietly, feeling my cheeks burning.  
  
"But, Hermione, he can't know I was lying. If he finds out, I'm dead. I just know it. Now, I'm not scared or anything, but...he'll make my life a living hell, I know him too well to think not. Remember what he did to YOU, just last year? And what he does to Harry..So...since he can't find out...well, I think we should...can I..er.." I trailed off to an embarrassed silence. I tried to regain my composure, and went on. "Hermione....Will you...gooutwithme?" My face was burning like the common room fire roaring behind me.  
  
"I-Ron, no! That's complete deception. And besides, why should I do anything for you?" Hermione was going into lecture mode, I could just see it. So I launched ahead before she could even begin.  
  
"You should do it for me because..because there's stuff in it for you, too! I mean, if you have a boyfriend, you can talk with Lavender and Parvati, or my sister or something about guys, without feeling all embarrassed or whatever. Oh, and people won't tease you about being Harry's girlfriend anymore. And guys won't hit on you unless you want them to..and..well, it's nice to help your best friends in a pinch..and..er...if you do this for me, I'll promise to not tease you for a m-I mean, a week.." I gave her my best puppy-dog face. Then I said in a child's voice, "Unless, of course, you have some moral obligation against dating me...or you're going out with someone else."  
  
Maybe she was sick, or else someone had put a potion in her pumpkin juice, but she agreed. "All right, all right all ready. I'll do it. But you've can't tease me for the entire time," she commented, her eyes narrowing dangerously.  
  
"Fine. So it's a deal?" I asked, holding out my hand.  
  
She took it. "It is a deal."  
  
"So, now, we've got to act like we're together, right? Should we tell Harry what's going on?" I asked, not entirely sure of what I was throwing myself into here.  
  
"Well, I think, if we're going to make this believable, we should keep it a complete secret, no matter how much I despise this lie," Hermione muttered out of the corner of her mouth, raising her eyebrows towards Harry, who was walking over.  
  
"Hi, Harry," I said loudly, turning to him.  
  
"Hi. What in the world are you two bloody talking about? You've left me to my Transfiguration essay for nearly twenty minutes now. This isn't a very quiet row, is it?" he asked, looking from Hermione to me and back again.  
  
"No, no.." Hermione muttered, standing up. "I really need to get to that essay, Harry, thanks for reminding me. I'll talk to you more about this later, all right, Ron?" This came with a meaningful look that I took to mean 'I've still got something to tell you, but I'll wait.'  
  
"Right, Hermione. Harry, are you up for a game of chess?" I asked, changing the subject and bringing Harry's eyes from Hermione's face to mine.  
  
"Sure, why not? I need a break from this work anyway," Harry said, looking back at Hermione strangely and then walking away to get his chess set.  
  
I accioed mine over instead. Then I asked Hermione, "What did you want to tell me?"  
  
"Never mind. Forget it for now, I'll tell you when we've got more time," she answered, looking away. Then she, too, went off.  
  
"Bloody confusing creatures, those girls are," I muttered to myself, walking over to a small table and setting up my chess pieces.  
  
As soon as Harry came back, we began playing. At first, I let Harry win a bit by sacrificing a bishop and a few pawns, but then, after a while, I made a spectacular win with my knight. Harry was as nonchalant about it as ever, but I smiled anyway.  
  
"Did you like how I tried to be deceptive and let you win, Harry?" I asked, winking.  
  
"Oh, spectacularly thrilling," he said sarcastically.  
  
"Good," I said, nodding curtly and grinning a cheesy smile.  
  
"Well," Harry began. "I guess I had better go finish that essay now. Catch you later, I suppose."  
  
Then he walked off to sit next to Hermione. I actually didn't have my essay done either, but it wasn't due for another day and a half, so I wouldn't worry about it just now. Maybe I could convince Fred and George to play Exploding Snap.  
  
I looked over in their direction, but they had their heads bent over a piece of paper. 'Prolly some new invention,' I thought. 'They probably don't want to be bothered. Who else is around?' As I looked about, the only other red head I saw was Ginny's, and it too was bent over a piece of parchment. She was probably doing homework or writing in her new diary. Typical. When you need a little sister, they're always busy, and yet when you significantly don't, they're bored and want to bug you. Hmph.  
  
I gazed around once more, looking for anyone to play with, but no one seemed available. My eyes stuck for a moment on my friends, working and laughing as they went along. As I watched for a few moments more, I saw that Harry must have said something funny, because both of them threw back their heads and laughed. It looked almost like fun, and as I had nothing better to do, I went and joined them with my half-completed essay.  
  
"Oh, hello, Ron," said Hermione a bit breathlessly, looking rather red in the face and still trying to suppress giggles. Whatever Harry had said must have been damn funny, because it was rare for Hermione to get the giggles. It was also rather rare for Harry to be in such a good mood. Usually these days he was rather broody and silent.  
  
"Hi," I mumbled. "Decided to join you since everyone is busy."  
  
I pulled up a chair and opened my book. A few hours slipped by as Harry, Hermione and I worked and talked. Every few minutes we would lapse into silence, only for it to be broken by a movement or a comment.  
  
We had just lapsed into one of those silences when it was broken by Harry's standing up and stretching. "I think I'll be off to bed," he said through a yawn.  
  
"I'll catch you up in a minute," I called as he left.  
  
"Good night, Harry!" Hermione called.  
  
"G'night," he called back, heading up the boy's staircase and out of sight.  
  
As soon as Harry was safely out of earshot, I stood up and asked the question that had been burning in me all evening long.  
  
"What were you going to tell me earlier?"  
  
"Oh, yes," Hermione said softly, putting down her essay and standing too. "I think we need a plan as for how to do this."  
  
"Oh, of course," I said, cringing as I heard a bit of disappointment in my voice.  
  
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, taking one of my hands and rubbing it. I felt shivers run up and down my spine, but I managed to listen as she began lecturing. "This was your idea, you know. You're not going to back out on me now, are you?"  
  
"No, no. I just..er...had a sudden idea. If we're going to do this, we've got to do it in the open, where everyone can see. Just like-" I stopped and leaned over and down.  
  
Closer and closer our faces got, until finally, our lips met. As we stood there, kissing, my brain was just able to register the catcalls and whistles that were erupting behind me.  
  
I could feel Hermione's mouth forming an 'O' against my lips. I leaned back, and finished my sentence. "This."  
  
Her mouth was still set in the 'O' shape. I grinned and whispered, "My kissing wasn't THAT bad, was it?"  
  
This seemed to startle her out of her trance. "Oh..oh, no," she said, and promptly flushed crimson. This was just about the only time I could see Hermione blushing when I wasn't. I wanted to snap a picture but had no camera ready. Damn.  
  
"Well, that's good then. What is it?" I asked, as she gazed up at me with the look of someone trying very hard to decipher a difficult question.  
  
"It's only..well.." she leaned forward and went onto her tip-toes to whisper in my ear. "That wasn't a friendly kiss, you know."  
  
"Oh, I know," I muttered, and began flushing. Ah, well, it had been good while it had lasted. "It wasn't meant to be," I mumbled, not looking up.  
  
"In that case," she said slowly and clearly, looking me in the eye, "I may just have to do something." With this she raised her hand. I flinched, thinking she was about to slap me, but she only put her hand on the back of my neck and pulled me toward her.  
  
Then she kissed me soundly on the lips. Again, I registered clapping and whistling behind us. I pulled back for a moment, and saw a flash of concern go over her face as I turned around, but I winked at her and then called across to everyone. "Oh, just shove off, will you? We're rather busy over here."  
  
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her smile. I then turned back to her, grinning. She winked at me, and I kissed her once more. I felt no need to explain to her in words how long I had waited for this, and I hoped she got the message through my actions.  
  
I heard shuffling noises as everyone left the room. Once we were alone again, I said, "Well, I suppose we may have to abandon the plan now."  
  
"It seems that way, " she replied rather demurely. "Unless, of course, we made your little lie true." That last bit she added with a small smile and a bit of redness around her face.  
  
"In that case, " I replied, "will you..erm..go out with me?" I said this thinking how very unfair it was that I had to ask that with the same amount of embarrassment twice in one night.  
  
"I said yes once, I can hardly say no now, can I?" Hermione said, grinning but trying her damnedest to hide it.  
  
I glanced at my watch, trying to make it imperceptible to Hermione's gaze lest I set off her wrath. In doing so I noticed how very late it was. Harry was probably worrying. I voiced my concern to Hermione, and she agreed that we should be off to bed.  
  
As I climbed the stairs to my dormitory, I wondered what Harry would think. Would he think it was great, or would he feel like a third wheel? Each was just as possible as the other.  
  
I peered around the door as I opened it, and saw Harry sitting on his bed, staring off into space.  
  
"Thought you were sleepy," I said, startling him out of his reverie.  
  
"Oh, I..was," Harry mumbled distractedly.  
  
"And so?" I asked, persisting.  
  
"I'm not anymore. Could you maybe just leave me alone?" he said rather angrily. I wasn't sure if he was angry at himself or me, and I didn't want to press the issue much further.  
  
"Can I just ask one thing?" I asked.  
  
"You just did, but yes, you can ask another question," Harry replied without any trace of amusement.  
  
"Well..er..Harry, it wasn't your scar, was it? Because if it was, you should tell Dumbledore.." I said, rather worried that V-I mean, You-Know- Who was near and Harry hadn't told anyone.  
  
"My god, you sounded exactly like Hermione just now. She's rubbing off on you, Ron. Next thing I know, you'll be telling me to study hard for the N.E.W.T.s, because they're only 2 years away," he said, grinning a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.  
  
I groaned. "But really, Harry. Was it your scar?"  
  
"No, it wasn't. Don't worry so much about me. I was just thinking, and you startled me. That's all," Harry said rather grumpily.  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked skeptically. Harry never did want to admit any weakness.  
  
"I'm sure I'm sure. Go to bed, Ron. You need the sleep," he said, laying down and rolling so that he faced away from me. "G'night."  
  
"Night.." I muttered, still not believing him, and turning over all the possibilities in my head. Could it really be V-I mean, You-Know-Who? Or was Harry telling the truth for once and it really was just nothing? It was always so hard to tell with him. He had a great poker face. Ha, I don't even know what that old Muggle saying means. I think it means that he's a great liar, but I'm not really sure. Hmm..  
  
As I lay down, my thoughts turned back to Hermione. I could tell Harry about her and I in the morning. Until then, I needed to sleep. I really was tired.  
  
The moment I woke up the next morning, I glanced at the magical clock that was next to my bed. It read: You're late!  
  
"Oh, shit," I mumbled, jumping out of bed, only pausing for a moment to look at the picture of Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and I that had been taken the previous summer. We all looked so happy. But then, that was before V-I mean, You-Know-Who had gotten all his old supporters back. Now, it was hard to find anything to be happy about.  
  
I glanced at my watch. It read: 7:10 AM. Damn those twins, they'll pay for this. I'm a growing boy, and I need my rest. Especially on a-My eyes widened in shock-Saturday...Oh, oops. Guess it's not their fault after all. I need to remember to ignore my clock on the weekends.  
  
I walked down to the common room, ignoring the surprised looks everyone gave me. It wasn't often that I was up this early. Or perhaps they were just in awe of my finally kissing Hermione the night before. Either way, they could just sod off.  
  
I went over and sat next to Hermione. "What are you doing?" I asked, watching her pore over books. "Something did happen to Harry, didn't it? He told you and he didn't tell me? What a sodding-" There I said something that made Hermione yell 'Ron!'  
  
"Well, it's true, isn't it? Isn't it? Well, go on, tell me!" I jumped up and began pacing. "He told you but not me. It must be something important, or you wouldn't be so damn worried. It's about V-You-Know-Who, isn't it? Isn't it? You're hiding things from me! Well, out with it, come on!"  
  
"Ron. Stop it. He's your best friend. Why are you mad at him, anyway?" Hermione asked as she ran her finger down a page, then stopped at a certain point and copied something down.  
  
"He was being all mysterious again last night. And he's been telling you things he hasn't been telling me. I know it," I said, pointing my finger at her.  
  
"He hasn't told me anything about his scar, and anything else he has been telling me has nothing to do with you, so I think you should just mind your own business!" Hermione said rather shrilly, finally looking up at me with her finger still on the page.  
  
"How can you be so cruel? I just kissed you last night, and now you're telling me that you've been hiding things from me? What kind of relationship is that? Or even what kind of friendship is that? That's just- just..Wormtailish, that's what it is!"  
  
"Oh my-Ronald Weasley, if you think you can get away with calling me a traitor, then you've got another thing coming to you!" she yelled, moving towards me. When she got close enough that she could reach, she pulled back her hand and slapped me. I felt the cold sting of reality pierce my brain as she yelled, "And for your information, we've only been keeping the secret about Ginny so that you wouldn't kill your best-I mean, her boyfriend. And what I was doing just now was studying for my O.W.L.s, which begin in two days, if you haven't noticed. So why don't you go up to your dormitory and think about what you have just done. You're a very lucky bastard, since the man you were accusing of keeping things from you isn't here right now, but I most certainly am, and I'm through."  
  
And with that, she gathered her books and stormed up to her own dormitory.  
  
I stomped up to my own dormitory, passing Dean and Seamus on the way. Dean was paying Seamus some money, and Seamus was saying, "I told you it wouldn't last for more than one day. They're just too explosive, they are." And Dean was nodding his head in agreement as he handed Seamus the coins.  
  
"Oh, just fuck off, why don't you?" I yelled as I stomped past them. I knew they were talking about me and Hermione.  
  
When I reached the fifth year's dormitory, I flopped down on my bed, hardly noticing Harry sitting on his bed.  
  
"I heard you kissed Hermione last night. Good for you, mate," he said, chuckling. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"  
  
"You were being too dark and mysterious," I mumbled into my pillow, not caring if he caught what I had said or not.  
  
"Ah," he replied. Apparently, he had heard me.  
  
"But now she hates me, so all is back to normal," I went on, sighing angrily.  
  
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. Why would she?" Harry asked comfortingly.  
  
"Because I said she was like Wormtail-traitorous and keeping things from me behind my back," I replied in a dull sort of voice.  
  
"Oh. Well, maybe she does. But she'll get over it, you know she always does. Besides, she loves you too much to want to lose you," Harry replied in that same sort of comforting voice.  
  
"Dean and Seamus were betting on how long our relationship would last. Seamus said less than a day. Well, he was right. I'm a failure. I mess up every good thing in my life. I've messed up with my family, my crush, and I actually did mess up with you, though you don't know about it yet. I said that Hermione was keeping things from me with you behind my back," I said, rolling over and staring at the ceiling. There were many, many bumps and scratches in it.  
  
"I don't give a shit. Listen, Ron. Go talk to her. She's probably up in her dorm right now, crying her heart out. And why? Because she regrets all the things she just said to you," Harry said, pushing me up into a sitting position.  
  
"That's not possible," I replied. "She slapped me. She's slapped Malfoy before, you know. I think she only does that to people she truly loathes."  
  
"Either way, go talk to her. You don't want to waste your whole weekend before O.W.L.s worrying about Hermione. You need to study. We both do. Plus, you don't want to be worrying over her in the middle of O.W.L.s, do you? And one more-you can't end the year like this. It will ruin your whole summer. Come on, go talk to her. If you won't do it for me, do it for you. And if you won't do it for yourself, do it for Hermione. She'll kill you if you're distracting her during her O.W.L.s. Go now, before she starts studying again!" Harry cried, pushing me towards the door.  
  
"Fine, fine. But Harry? Just one thing. Are you really dating my sister?" I asked my question with my body only halfway out of the door, in case I for some reason needed to punch Harry.  
  
"I'll tell you later. But go, now!" he cried, pushing me the rest of the way out of the door and slamming it behind me.  
  
I padded down the staircase, trying to think of what to say. As I neared the bottom, I thought, Oh, to hell with it all. I'll make it up as I go along.  
  
I made it all the way across the common room without encountering anybody, but as soon as I stepped onto the girl's staircase, I knew trouble would soon be coming my way. I recognized the two voices wafting down the staircase as two very familiar fifth year girls.  
  
A/N-There, another chapter done. It took me long enough to write it, but the next one shouldn't take too long. I do believe the next one is the last, although I may or may not make a sequel fic in Hermione, Harry, or Ginny's point of view.  
  
If you want to make your review especially special, tell me your opinion on a sequel fic along with your opinion on this chapter. It will be greatly appreciated.  
  
In the next chapter, I get to play with Lavender and Parvati! Oh, yay, here I go..  
  
Cheerio, dahlings!  
  
-Lissy 


	5. Leaving Hogwarts

A/N-Don't kill me because I kind of skipped over the last swimming lesson...it's not that pertinent to this story.. I'm sorry. And I'm very sorry about the LONG wait.I got a bit disinterested in this for a while.  
  
Chapter 5-Leaving Hogwarts  
  
As I walked closer to the stairs, the voices got closer and closer. I groaned as they spotted me, hesitating there near the banister of the girl's staircase.  
  
"Ron! Whatever are you doing?" called Parvati, poking Lavender in the ribs to stop her giggling.  
  
"Oh...er...um..Just looking for Hermione. D'you happen to know where she might be?" I asked, looking at my feet.  
  
"Well, of course we know where she is...in our room....But I don't think she wants visitors right now," Parvati said, looking and sounding more somber than usual.  
  
"Why not?" I asked, looking worriedly up at them and feeling rather guilty.  
  
"Well, I probably shouldn't tell you this," Parvati said, not sounding like she cared too much that she oughtn't tell me. "But she's crying."  
  
"Let me up there," I said, trying to push past them and easily succeeding.  
  
"But, Ron, you're not allowed up there! You could get in real trouble!" called Lavender after me.  
  
"So?" I called back as I reached the fifth year's dormitory.  
  
I tried to open the door but realized it was locked. I pounded on the door for a few minutes with no avail.  
  
"Hermione? Hermione, let me in! It's me, Ron!" I called loudly.  
  
I heard no response, so I kept on shouting. "Come on, Hermione, I know you're in there, Parvati and Lavender told me!"  
  
I glanced over at them, to find them staring at me. As soon as I looked over, they pretended to be deep in conversation. I frowned and turned back to the closed door.  
  
"Oh, come on, Hermione. Why won't you let me in? At least talk to me, c'mon," I called, pounding some more on the door.  
  
"Well, fine, be that way," I called, leaning against the door. "I guess I can't tell you that I'm really sorry. And I don't care if you don't feel the same way, Hermione, but I will always feel something for you! I don't care if you tramp about with Krum, because I'll be there, watching, waiting. Just waiting for the day when you realize what a skank he is and tell me that I was right."  
  
Just as I finished saying that and was about to congratulate myself for getting it out, the door burst open and I fell backwards into the room.  
  
"Oof," I called out as I landed on the hard floor. When I opened my eyes, Hermione was standing directly above me with her hands on her hips. I saw no traces of any tears. "Fancy seeing you here." I said after a moment.  
  
But all Hermione said was, "Move," as she found me in her way as she made to shut the door. As soon as the door was shut and locked and I was once more standing, Hermione finally said something about me, although it wasn't what I had been expecting. "That was your own fault, you know," she said as she sat on her bed. "You were leaning on the very same door that you were begging me to open."  
  
"I don't give a damn," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "Anyway, Hermione, what I came up here to do was to apologize."  
  
As I said that, I saw Hermione's eyebrows go up in an expression of surprise. I supposed that I had never really apologized to her before, but I just laughed to myself and went on. "I didn't mean to insult you, but I was just worried about Harry and-" here came a big gulp of air because I was determined not to scaredy-cat out of what I was about to do-"Voldemort. I thought maybe there was some plot to kill Harry and you two were keeping it from me."  
  
After a few moments of stony silence, Hermione spoke. "I knew you had been worried, but don't you know by now that we would never keep anything important from you? Even what we were keeping was just for a matter of time until Harry could get up the guts to tell you. And I don't care how much you know now, by the way, but you're getting nothing out of me. Harry needs to do this himself. But I wasn't mad because you insulted me, oh, no. If I got mad every time you insulted me, I would be in St. Mungo's by now! But no, it was merely your choice of words. But let's just forget it. We're all stressed. O.W.L.s start on Monday, after all."  
  
After that, we lapsed into a few minutes of silence, each mulling over our thoughts and trying to think of what to say next.  
  
"I meant what I said out in the hallway," I blurted, finally.  
  
"What, that you wanted me to let you in?" Hermione asked, frowning.  
  
"No! Well, I did want you to let me in. But that's not what I'm on about! When I said that-that I will always care for you, and the bit about Viktor Krum," I said urgently.  
  
"You shouldn't be so mean to Viktor, you know. He's done nothing to you," Hermione said in her scolding voice.  
  
"Oh, he has too. He's stolen my-er..I mean...Oh, bugger. I might as well say it. He stole you from me. That's why I have a problem with him," I said earnestly. "But really, I shouldn't feel that way. He was there first, and I-I should back off. So I-I'm going to go now. See you later."  
  
But as I turned to the door, Hermione spoke suddenly. "How could you think that way? And after last night, too!"  
  
"Because I thought you hated me after what happened earlier. I only thought that I'd say something because Lavender and Parvati had said you'd been crying," I said, not turning from the door.  
  
"I didn't hate you after this morning," Hermione said, surprised. "I've never hated you. Not even in third year. I've been angry, yes, plenty of times, but I've never hated you."  
  
"But that's about all you feel for me. You don't hate me, but you don't love me, either. We're friends. Always will be. The end," I said staunchly, looking down and away from any direction she might be in.  
  
"Of course I don't hate you. And you're right, I don't love you-" Hermione started, but I cut in.  
  
"Of course you don't. You love Krum. How silly of me to think that you, the smartest girl in our year, and me, the goofy tall redhead could ever be anything. I'll be going now," I said, reaching for the doorknob.  
  
"No, Ron! Please. You didn't let me finish. I meant to say that I don't love you right now. I'm sixteen. I can't decide who the love of my life is right now. I have so much living before me. But I do know that right now, you are the only one in my thoughts. Just know that. And don't forget it. Of course we can be something. That's the only way for me to decide whom I want to be with for my entire life. I have to try it out. I don't know what the future brings, but for right now, Ron, I want you beside me for it. Please?" Hermione explained with a pleading expression on her face that I just turned around in time for.  
  
"Now that-" I began harshly, but, unable to keep up the act, I grinned before I could help it. "Sounds wonderful."  
  
"But please, Ron.not to ruin the moment, but..I..er..as a prefect, I can't be..well..you know..in public. So I would appreciate it if you could hold off until we were..er..alone?" Hermione said timidly.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about that, ..Mione," I said with a tiny grin on my face.  
  
I finally opened the door and ushered Hermione through it. Then I took her hand as we walked down the stairs.  
  
Our last swimming lesson wasn't anything special, although we had to take O.W.L.s. I basically only remember the secret smiles that I shared with Hermione the entire time. I think that we had to swim across the lake and back to get the O.W.L.s. I'm pretty sure that I remember doing pretty darned well. Dumbledore, though, could have had something to do with that. He's always favored us Gryffindors. I think he himself was one, a very long time ago.  
  
And then it came. The last day of our fifth year back at good old Hogwarts. Our trunks were packed, and our dorms were empty. The Leaving Feast was scrumptious, as usual. I believed that the house-elves had nearly outdone themselves. Hermione, however, didn't share my point of view.  
  
"This is," I began, then swallowed my mouthful and went on, "the best Leaving Feast house-elves have made yet!"  
  
"Ron, don't you think that they should be paid for the amount of work that must have gone into this? Just think, hours of work just for you to eat that bit of tripe. And then they're not even paid for it! I still think that I should do something about it. Maybe next year, when we come back, I'll ask Dumbledore if he'll talk to them. Don't you think that would be a good idea for E.L.F.?" Hermione asked, blabbering on about her precious elves.  
  
"What does elf stand for now?" I asked, confused. She had changed the name at least three times in the past year. She couldn't find one to satisfy all that she wanted to say.  
  
"It's not elf, it's E.L.F., and it stands for the 'Elvish Liberation Front'," Hermione said, annoyed. "We have now over 20 members!"  
  
"That's wonderful, Hermione. Now, can we stop jabbering so I can finish my tripe?" I asked, truly wanting her to give the elves a rest. They didn't deserve all her annoyance for not taking the wages she herself was offering them now.  
  
"Hmph," was all she had to say in return, turning her back on me.  
  
"Oh, come on, Hermione. Don't be like that. It's the last day of school. Let's just give the elves a nice long summer break before we start hassling them about wages again, all right?" I said this all while taking her hand. I was pretty sure it wasn't my words, but my hand that made her drop it. But she finally smiled and relaxed. I can say that I was sure relieved. I didn't need a fight on the last day of school, I can tell you that right now.  
  
Just as I was finishing up the tripe, the golden plates were filled with desserts. Oh, how I loved desserts. I took a little bit of everything and began chomping. As I ate, I observed Harry, who was across the table from me. He was sitting next to my sister, and they were talking about something or other. I examined the look on each of their faces. They looked happy enough. I supposed that I could allow them to do whatever, just so long as my sister didn't get hurt in any way, shape, or form. If she did, then Harry was in big trouble. No matter how good a friend he was, he would be a dead man after we were done with him.  
  
As I was examining the couple, I realized that Hermione was staring at me. I could feel her eyes boring into the side of my head. I turned to see her smiling gently at me. I winked, grinned, and went back to my food.  
  
Soon enough, the Feast was over, and it was time to get onto the horseless carriages that took us back to the Hogwarts Express, where our trunks were waiting.  
  
As I got onto the Hogwarts Express, I looked back at the school. My eyes caught on the lake. I smiled fondly as I thought how the lessons that had taken place on that very lake had brought Hermione and me together.  
  
Then I saw Harry, and I knew that no matter how happy I was, I couldn't let my thoughts dwell on happy things for too long. Voldemort was still out there, and he wouldn't go away unless we made him. I was part of the Light Side, and I could never forget that. Hermione and I were Harry's best friends, and we couldn't abandon him just because we were in a relationship. We had to stick together. And we would.  
  
But for now, we could only wait. Wait and prepare for Voldemort's next attack. I would be a child as long as I possibly could. And that meant having fun with my friends on the Hogwarts Express. I climbed up the steps and went into our usual compartment. Hermione was already there, waiting. I sat next to her and pulled out my Exploding Snap cards.  
  
Soon Harry joined us, along with Ginny. "Anyone for a game?" I asked, shuffling the cards very noticeably.  
  
"No, I need to start my summer homework," said Hermione.  
  
"Oh, come off it, Hermione. Summer hasn't even started yet. Relax. Let's do something fun on the last day that we'll see each other for a while. Please?" I wheedled, trying to convince her to play. She was much more fun away from her books.  
  
"But--" she began, but as soon as I started on with my puppy-dog pout, she melted. "Oh, go on then." She set down her book bag and put her hands in her lap.  
  
"Well...only for a little while. I'm kind of tired," Ginny said, albeit a bit sleepily.  
  
"I'll play for a bit too, but I want a nap sometime on this trip, all right?" Harry said, sounding tired also.  
  
"Suits me fine," I said, handing out cards. Soon we were snapping away. We wasted at least two hours at this, until Ginny fell asleep right on Harry's shoulder. That was when Harry quit and began reading a book on Quidditch. Soon, he was asleep too.  
  
"Well, what to do now?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I know what we could do," I said mischievously.  
  
"Ron!" she whispered urgently. "No. No, no, and no. What else can we do?"  
  
"Other than that, I dunno. I'm not tired, and besides, I'll get in plenty of sleep at home. I can do my homework later. Erm...we could play chess...the ride isn't that bumpy, is it? We'll just have to be careful," I said, already pulling out my board and pieces.  
  
"Well...all right. But you can't be easy on me just because..well, you know," she said, pulling out her pieces too.  
  
"Good," I said as I set up my pieces quickly, then grabbed hers from her hands, hardly even blushing at the contact, and put them out equally as fast. "But you do know that you have no chance anyway, right?"  
  
"Hmph. I've been practicing. I have a chance. It's just not a very large one. So there," she said, sticking her nose in the air.  
  
"We'll see about that," I said, making my move, since I was white.  
  
"Yes, we will," she said, smirking and moving her pawn two spaces.  
  
The game continued on, with me taking most of her pieces. She was left with, after about twenty minutes, her King, her Queen, a bishop, and a knight. The bishop and the knight I had felt compelled to leave her, since she had hardly any chance without them. It was obvious that she had been practicing, because she avoided my catching any pieces for a good ten minutes.  
  
But, as was inevitable, I eventually got to her king. "Checkmate," I called rather softly as I commanded my knight to move in his 'L' shaped pattern to get to the king. The king threw his crown at my knight's feet and scowled up at Hermione. Her pieces didn't respect her very much, probably because they had never won yet.  
  
"Someday I'll beat you," she muttered. "Someday..."  
  
"Maybe that's so, but that day isn't today," I said, putting away my pieces and my board. "So I suppose you're going to do schoolwork now. Aren't you?"  
  
Hermione nodded a yes, picking up her backpack once more. "I might as well. You're going to read a Quidditch book or sleep or do something equally as boring, aren't you?"  
  
"Well, actually. I was going to do mine too. I might as well, while I have the smartest witch in our year here to help me, right?" I smiled serenely and pulled out my backpack from its hidden place underneath my seat.  
  
"I didn't even know you brought that with you! You were going to do schoolwork this whole time and you didn't tell me?" Hermione said indignantly.  
  
"Well...it's your own fault, you know. You're always telling me that I should, so I decided to try it. Plus, you've rubbed off on me a bit over the years, I think," I said with a fake grimace. "That's a scary thought."  
  
"Oh, shush," Hermione said, throwing a balled up paper at me. Then she pulled out a History of Magic book and opened it. "I always do the least fun ones first. So if you want help, you'd better do the same thing I am, don't you think?"  
  
"Perhaps," I said as I pulled out mine and opened it also. We wasted at least two hours doing our least favorite essays and reminiscing about times when Snape had been horrid. Since there were more than a few of that type of story, we ended up taking a while.  
  
Sometime during our studying, Hermione had moved around to sit next to me. I realized what a compromising position this was, but as my face split into a yawn just seconds after, I couldn't do much about it at that time.  
  
"Tired?" Hermione asked, her eyes drooping. She looked like I felt. Tired, for some odd reason.  
  
"I guess. I think I'm going to just take a nap here against the window, all right?" I moved ever so slightly so that my head could rest against the window, and then I closed my eyes. I drifted off to sleep almost instantly.  
  
Soon enough, my eyes popped open. Though it only felt like seconds, after I checked my watch, I realized that it had been at least an hour and a half since I had drifted off. I also soon realized that I couldn't move, as Hermione's head was resting in my lap, and her left arm was on my right leg.  
  
I looked around the compartment and saw that Harry was awake, and he was staring at Hermione and I and giggling quietly to himself. "Harry, don't giggle," I said, rolling my eyes. "It makes you sound like a girl."  
  
"Shut up," he said through his giggles. He then picked up the ball of paper that Hermione had thrown at me earlier and threw it at me again.  
  
"Hey now," I said. "That's enough. I've already had that same ball of paper thrown at me twice today."  
  
"And I care..why?" Harry asked, trying desperately to cover his giggles.  
  
"Because I said so. Are we almost there?" I asked, checking my watch.  
  
"I think it's about fifteen more minutes. Maybe we should wake the girls, since they're going to want to have a big sappy goodbye and that might take a while," Harry said, glancing at my hair, which was properly messed up.  
  
I started stroking Hermione's hair, trying to think of a way to wake her up in which I wouldn't get my head yelled off. "Hermione..Psst, Hermione..wake up!" I whispered.  
  
"Mmm?" came a voice from on my lap. "Is it time for classes already, Lavender?"  
  
"Lavender?" I asked, looking at Harry. "I don't sound like Lavender, do I?"  
  
"Well, now that you mention it, your voice isn't as low as mine. And Lavender is kind of tall.." Harry trailed off in laughter.  
  
"Shut up, Harry. I could say that you look rather like Parvati, too, now couldn't I? The same black hair, and you both have green eyes.." I said, snickering at the thought of those two looking alike.  
  
"Well, I personally think you look like Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. But that's just me," Hermione said, startling me. I looked down at my lap, and there she was, staring up at me. "Fancy seeing you here."  
  
"I would say the same," I said, raising my eyebrows a few times. "I would have never guessed that Lavender wakes you up in the morning."  
  
"Yes, well..sometimes..she does," Hermione said, rubbing her eyes. "Just because I'm punctual doesn't mean that I'm perfect."  
  
"Could've fooled me," I said, smirking.  
  
"That's not that hard to do," Hermione said, getting her own back.  
  
"Thanks," I said, pushing her head off of my lap so that she was half on the floor.  
  
"Same to you," Hermione said, pulling herself back up onto the seat and sitting properly up.  
  
I turned back to Harry to see him tapping Ginny gently on the cheek. "Wake up, Gin. We're nearly there. Gin..Gin?"  
  
Ginny's eyes flickered open and focused on Harry. "Are we there yet?" she mumbled.  
  
"Nearly," Harry said, leaning away from her. "Better get our stuff together and say..goodbyes and stuff."  
  
"Yeah," I echoed as I picked up the bit of homework that Hermione and I had done together off of the floor and put it in my book bag. Then I gathered the few other things that were laying about the compartment and put them by my bag.  
  
The others did these things as well. When I sat back down, I realized that the train was pulling to a slow stop. "Well, guys..back to the Muggle world, eh? Anyone have one last spell?"  
  
"Oh.." Hermione said, thinking a moment before pulling out her wand. "Accio!"  
  
Before I even realized what was happening, I was flying at her. I held out my arms to break the fall that I was sure was going to happen, but Hermione just caught me. "Good lord, woman, you're strong!" I said, laughing along with the rest.  
  
Then Harry pulled out his wand. "Hmm..if only Malfoy were here..or maybe Dudley..Oh well. Er..Expelliarmus!"  
  
Ginny's wand went flying to Harry's outstretched hand, and she giggled. "Give me that," she said, taking her wand back and twirling it for a moment. An evil grin came over her face as she held her wand out. "Wingardium Leviosa!"  
  
Harry went up so that he was floating near the ceiling. I laughed. He was trying desperately to get himself down. Finally Ginny let him down with a small thud. Harry's hair was more mussed than usual, and his face was rather red. In spite of himself, he grinned.  
  
"My turn..oh..er.." I said, pulling out my wand as everyone else put his or hers away. Just then the train came to a complete stop. "Alohomora!" I called, and the door to our compartment flew open. I put my wand away and picked up my things. Another long summer of just my family was just around the corner. I sighed.  
  
My friends and I walked off of the train and into the station together. Before we crossed the barrier into the Muggle world, I turned to Harry. "See you, mate. I'll write and ask you to come stay as soon as the Order says it's all right, OK?"  
  
"Yeah, OK," he said.  
  
"Oh, what the hell, wait a minute," I said, walking over to him and clapping him on the back. He grinned and clapped me too. Then he turned to Hermione.  
  
"See you at Ron's?" he asked.  
  
"I'm sure I will. Goodbye, Harry!" then she hugged him. He then turned to Ginny.  
  
"Hey, Gin, why don't you walk Harry out there to make sure that those Muggles are there?" I asked meaningfully.  
  
"Sure," she said, beginning to walk toward the barrier. Harry followed.  
  
As soon as they were out of sight, I turned to Hermione. "So," I said.  
  
"So."  
  
"You'll come to stay?" I asked hopefully.  
  
"Just owl me as to when," Hermione said sullenly.  
  
"I won't forget, don't worry. Well..want to go out there?"  
  
"I guess..my parents will worry if I don't," Hermione said with one of those weird grim smiles on her face.  
  
So we began walking towards the barrier together, but very slowly. It seemed no time at all until we were facing a train station full of Muggles. I looked for a moment, and saw a gathering of redheads. That would be my family. Then a horn honked. That would be Hermione's parents. I turned to her once again. "Well..bye," I said.  
  
"Oh..Ron!" she cried, turning to face me. She went way up on her tiptoes and I saw what she was about to do.  
  
"I thought.." but I was cut off by her kiss.  
  
"I changed my mind," she said. "Bye, Ron!" then she turned and walked towards her parents car, not looking back.  
  
I just stared after her. This girl..this girl was not just some crush. She was my own.  
  
  
  
A/N-Oh, YES!! Ha!! I'm finally finished with this chapter that took about two months to write!! Now there's just the epilogue left. And thank god, I know exactly what will happen there. Goodbye, my darlings!! Don't forget to review!! 


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
"And so you see, kids, that's how I met your Grandma Hermione," a fifty- five year old Ron said with a small smile. Two of his grandkids were sitting on the floor staring at him.  
  
"That's it?" said the eldest grandchild, a strawberry blonde eleven- year-old named Matt. "Ugh...you just go all sentimental and then you end the story?"  
  
"Well, that's just how it went, Matt. Maybe someday you'll understand," Ron said with a wink in Hermione's direction.  
  
"I think it was sweet, Matthew," Matthew's nine-year-old sister Elizabeth said, jabbing her elbow into his side. Matt yelped, but then pinched her.  
  
"Kids," Hermione admonished as she flicked her wand, making all of her dishes for lunch magically begin setting themselves out on the table.  
  
Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at Matt, but then turned back to Ron. "Grandpa, why don't you tell stories about Hogwarts more often?"  
  
Ron stopped short for a minute, then glanced at Hermione again and turned to wholly face Elizabeth. "I think that that is a story best saved for another day."  
  
"Why?" the little redhead asked.  
  
"Because it's very long, and it has some scary parts, and because lunch is ready right now, and I am hungry," Ron said, standing up.  
  
"Does Mommy know the story?" the little girl asked.  
  
"A few small parts of it, yes," Ron said. "But don't bother her about it. I promise you, Liz, that I'll tell you. But not right now, ok?"  
  
"OK, Grandpa. Gram, what's for lunch?"  
  
"Sandwiches and pumpkin juice, dear," Hermione said, putting out the food.  
  
"Ugh...pumpkin juice? Do we have to have pumpkin juice?" Matthew asked, scrunching up his face as he sat down at the table.  
  
"You had better learn to like it, Matt, because it's the only thing they serve at Hogwarts," Hermione said, placing a large glass in front of him. "Besides, it's good for you."  
  
"I like pumpkin juice, Gram," Elizabeth said, smirking at her brother.  
  
"Suck up," he muttered. Ron heard, but he just rolled his eyes and began eating his food. He remembered the days when he had spoken those same words to Ginny.  
  
Just as they were finishing up their lunch, the doorbell rang. Hermione got up to answer it. It turned out to be Elizabeth and Matthew's mother, Emily.  
  
"Hello, sweetheart," Hermione said, smiling.  
  
"Hello, Mum. Thanks for watching them on such short notice. I just had some really important things to do. I hope they weren't any trouble?"  
  
"Oh, no, no. They never are. Ron just finished telling them about how he and I got together," Hermione said.  
  
"Oh, not that old story, Dad," Emily said to Ron. Ron just shook his head in reply. Emily was their youngest, and she was the only one to have equal qualities from both parents. Their son, Brett, was mostly like Hermione, and their other daughter, Breanne, was mostly like Ron. All three of them had kids, but Emily's were the oldest.  
  
"Bye, Gram, Grandpa!" called Elizabeth after she gathered all her stuff together.  
  
"See you," Matthew said after he had also gathered his things.  
  
"Bye, Mum, Dad," said Emily as she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder. "I'll see you soon, ok?"  
  
"Bye bye," Hermione called.  
  
Before they knew it, the three had thrown the powder into the fire and shouted 'the Three Broomsticks.' Then they were off in a whoosh of green flame.  
  
"Why did you have to tell them the story about the swimming lessons?" Hermione asked when everyone was gone.  
  
"Why, didn't you like it?" Ron asked with a devilish grin on his face.  
  
"No, not particularly," Hermione said with a small frown.  
  
"Well, that's really too bad," Ron said, shrugging.  
  
"And why is that?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Because it's all true," Ron said with a smirk. "I think I should publish it. And I'd give it a really original title...like 'The Swimming Lessons' or something."  
  
"Yes, Ron, you do that. Go publish our story, name it 'The Swimming Lessons,' and we'll see how many journalists will be begging for an interview the next morning, all right?"  
  
"Maybe I will," said Ron, a smile growing on his face. "Maybe I will."  
  
  
  
A/N-Oh..it's the end of another story. *sob* There might be a sequel, but I'm not really sure yet. I have some other ideas that I might pursue first before I think about it. Oh well. We'll see. Tell me what you think, if you want. 


End file.
